The Wild Heart (1952)

A re-editing of Gone to Earth after a disagreement and court case between director Michael Powell and producer David O. Selznick. Selznick's changes are mainly:- (1) Adding a prologue. (2) ... See full summary »

Directors:

Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger,

Writers:

Mary Webb (novel), Michael Powell,

Stars:

Jennifer Jones, David Farrar, Cyril Cusack

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Jones	...	Hazel Woodus
David Farrar	...	Jack Reddin
Cyril Cusack	...	Edward Marston
Sybil Thorndike	...	Mrs. Marston
Edward Chapman	...	Mr. James
Esmond Knight	...	Abel Woodus
Hugh Griffith	...	Andrew Vessons
George Cole	...	Cousin Albert
Beatrice Varley	...	Aunt Prowde
Frances Clare	...	Amelia Comber
Raymond Rollett	...	Landlord / Elder
Gerald Lawson	...	Roadmender / Elder
Bartlett Mullins	...	Chapel elder
Arthur Reynolds	...	Chapel elder
Valentine Dunn	...	Martha

Storyline

A re-editing of Gone to Earth after a disagreement and court case between director Michael Powell and producer David O. Selznick. Selznick's changes are mainly:- (1) Adding a prologue. (2) Adding scenes explaining things, often by putting labels or inscriptions on them. (3) Adding more close-ups of Jennifer Jones. He also deleted a few scenes that he felt weren't dramatic enough. Sadly some of these were major plot points so the story doesn't make as much sense as the original. In his autobiographies, Powell claimed that Selznick only left about 35 mins of the original film. In fact there's a lot more than that. About 2/3 of the original remains.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

A great new emotional drama with Jennifer Jones in a performance as memorable as those she gave in "The Song of Bernadette" and "Duel in the Sun"

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gypsy Blood

Filming Locations:

Berkshires, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Archers, The, London Film Productions, Vanguard Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited from Gone to Earth (1950)

User Reviews

THE LESSER FOXY TALE

I refer readers to the original, longer and in my opinion better version entitled "Gone To Earth" (1950), which I have reviewed here under the latter title.Other reviewers too have pertinent comments which I recommend reading.The subject version was Selznick's severely edited version (down to 80 minutes) in which he only retained about 35 minutes of the original then transported the major actors back to Hollywood and had Raoul Mamoulian film additional scenes as the original flopped in England after its release and this version similarly failed in 1952 in the U.S.A. after its release there.For example in the subject version Jack Reddin makes it clear to the Reverend Marston that he is going to have a new addition to his congregation soon,(i.e. that he has made Hazel pregnant after she married the Reverend, quite a contraversial thing to say in 1950!).I sense that Powell & Pressburgers' films of this era are now only being re-appraised and enjoyed by a different and more appreciative generation of filmgoers and I recommend those quoted in my other critique.

One difference in "The Wild Heart" is a prologue spoken by the late Jo Cotten a la "Duel in the Sun".Certainly the new digitalised and remastered colours of "Gone to Earth" are vastly superior to this version.I have sensed that USA viewers may have a problem obtaining the latter version but try Blackstar.co.uk - Europe's largest video dealer if there is a supply problem.I own both versions and I suppose each has merit and should both be viewed to obtain an overall impression.